Byron Donalds wins Florida governorship by 100,000 votes
The 47-year-old Republican from Naples will take office in January 2027, ending Ron DeSantis's term.
By Rahul Garnier ·
Byron Donalds defeated David Jolly in Tuesday's midterm elections to become Florida's first Black governor. Projections from NBC News show the Republican won by a margin of slightly more than 100,000 votes in a race that determined the successor to Ron DeSantis.
Donalds, who is 47 years old, will formally assume office on Tuesday, January 5, 2027. His term will run through 2031, following the conclusion of DeSantis's administration. The victory marks the first time a Black Republican has been elected governor of a U.S. state.
The elected governor was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised by a single mother. He now resides in Naples with his wife and three sons, Damon, Darin, and Mason. Donalds graduated from Florida State University in 2002 with degrees in Finance and Marketing.
His political career began in 2016 when he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. He served in that chamber until 2020. In 2020, voters sent him to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Florida's 19th District, a seat covering parts of Lee and Collier counties.
Donalds is a political ally of President Donald Trump. The President endorsed Donalds's gubernatorial campaign. No other details regarding policy platforms or specific legislative priorities were included in the source material.
Source: WSCV
